Capo tasto



\NO Model.)

F. R. & R. WHELAN.

GAPO TASTO. No. 513,165. Patented Jan. 23,1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK R. \VHELAN AND ROLAND VVHELAN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

CAPO TASTO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 513,165, dated January 23, 1894.

Application filed October 10,1893. Serial No. 487,724.. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK R. THELAN and ROLAND WHELAN, of Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented a certain new and useful Capo Tasto, of which the following is a specification. I Our invention relates to means for changing stringed instruments, such as guitars, from sharps to flats so that a player may instantly, and, practically without pause in his playing, pass from music written in sharps to that written in flats.

The object of our invention is to provide a capo tasto for guitars and like instruments, and which may with a simple backward movement of the hand be either clamped upon or removed from the neck of the instrument; one whlch may be adjusted toinstruments of different sizes and which will then become a permanent part of the instrument; further, one in which the muftling pad may be entirely and easily removed to permit renewal or repair after the device has been permanently secured.

To this end our invention consists in the combination with the bridge having depend- 1ng ends, of a cam or bell-crank centrally pivoted on said ends and having one arm pivoted to the neck of the instrument, whereby, by throwing the bell-crank, the bridge with its pad may be firmly clamped upon the neck over the strings thereon.

Our invention consists further in various details of construction and in combinations all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims, and will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this speci fication, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a guitar head and neck showing a device embodying our invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line cc-zc of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows the under side of the neck with the device applied thereto. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, as on line yy of Fig. at.

As shown in the drawings, 2 represents the neck of the guitar or like instrument, and 3 the head. The strings 4 are arranged in the usual manner and 5, 5 represent frets. In the under side of the neck we preferably arrange a recess 7 and over this secure the slotted plate 8. The recess is wider than the slot 8 in the plate, so as to receive the T-head 9 arranged upon the sliding block 10. The slot is situated just above the first fret 5. The bridge bar 11 is provided with a muffling pad 12 adapted to be drawn down tightly over the strings, and the bar has the depending ends 13 extending down the sides of the neck and preferably hollow, as shown, to. receive the shanks let of the, parts 15 which are adjustably locked to the bridge-bar by set screws 16, and thus form extensions of said bar with their ends paralled to the main part thereof. The inner ends of the parts 15 are round and somewhat reduced in size and form pivots on which the centers 17 of the double bell-crank are journaled. The short arms 18 of this bell-crank are turned inwardly at the top and journaled in openings in the ends of the sliding block 10. The long arms of the bellcrank join in asmall knob 19. The bell-crank is preferably formed of wire, as shown, and preferably possesses some spring. Ordinarily the long arm of the beltcrank is thrown down as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2 and the device is held back upon the head by an elastic 20 fastened upon the bridge-bar 11 and to the outer end of the head. \Vhen it is desired to throw the instruments from sharps into flats it is only necessary to grasp the bridge-bar between the thumb and finger, which, naturally, encircle the neck and draw down on the bridge-bar, which moves itinto position over the first fret, after which by simply raising the palm of the hand the bell-crank is thrown past the center and will be held in the position shown in full lines. The device will be released quite as readily by simply drawing down upon the ball or knob to release the bridge, whereupon the same will be drawn back instantly by the elastic 20. Any adjustment which is needed either at the time the device is being applied to the instrument or afterward, as required through wear or replacing of strings, may be readily made by means of the adjustable connection between the bridge-bar and the cam-like look.

It is obvious that the movement of the capo tasto upon the neck need not be limited as shown, but as all chords in flats may be obtained with the bridge over the first fret we IOC think such limitation of the movement desir able and in the use of the device most convenlent.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A capo tasto for guitars and like instruments having abridge-bar and a cam-like lock to engage the back of the neck, the axis of said cam lock being parallel with said bar, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A capo taste for guitars and like instruments having a bridge-bar and cam-like lock to engage the back of the neck, the axis of said cam-like lock being in line with said bar, means for releasing the bridge, and automatic means for drawing back the same when released, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. A capo tasto for guitars and like instruments having a bridge-bar and cam-like lock to engage the back of the neck, means for releasing the bridge-bar, and automatic means for drawing back the same when released, and means for limiting the movement of the capo tasto upon the neck, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. A capo tasto movably arranged upon the neck, in combination with means for locking the same thereon, and automatic means for drawing it back when unlocked or released, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

5. A capo tasto for gtiitars and like instruments having a bridge-bar and bell-crank locking device, the cross bar wherewith the said device is pivoted, and the adjustable connections between the center of said bell crank and said bridge bar, substantially as described.

6. A capo tasto for guitars and like instruments, consisting of the bridge-bar having the depending ends, the extensions 15, means for adj ustably locking the same in respect to said ends of the bridge-bar, a cam-like lock connected with said extensions and adapted to engage the neck of the instrument, means for limiting the movement of the capo tasto on said neck, and means for automatically drawing back the capo tasto when said lock is operated to release the capo tasto substantially FRANK R. WHELAN. ROLAND WHELAN. In presence of C. G. HAWLEY, F. S. LYON. 

